Puruṣaikatva-vyākhyāna: The One Virāṭ Puruṣa and the Many ‘Puruṣas’
Rudra–Brahmā Saṃvāda
ब्राह्मणानां प्रकोपेन प्रविष्टो वसुधातलम् । मानितास्ते तु विप्रेन्द्रास्त्वं तु गच्छ द्विजोत्तम
brāhmaṇānāṁ prakopena praviṣṭo vasudhātalam | mānitās te tu viprendrās tvaṁ tu gaccha dvijottama, pakṣirāja |
Bhishma berkata: “Karena murka para Brahmana, mereka telah masuk ke bawah permukaan bumi, ke alam bawah. Namun mereka selalu memuliakan para Brahmana utama itu. Maka, wahai dwija terbaik—wahai raja burung—pergilah kepada mereka.”
भीष्म उवाच
Even when one suffers due to the anger or curse of Brahmins, the ethical ideal upheld here is continued reverence toward the virtuous and learned; honoring the worthy is presented as a sustaining dharmic principle despite adversity.
Bhishma explains that certain persons, compelled by the Brahmins’ wrath, have gone into the underworld; nevertheless they had maintained respect for eminent Brahmins. He then instructs the addressed figure—called ‘best of the twice-born’ and ‘king of birds’—to go to them.